Textile processing agents



United States Patent 3,341,451 TEXTILE PROCESSING AGENTS Wladyslaw AdamDziuba and Gordon Palmer, Coventry, England, assignors to CourtauldsLimited, London, England, a British company No Drawing. Filed Mar. 1,1965, Ser. No. 436,264 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Mar.6, 1964, 9,493/ 64 4 Claims. (Cl. 252- 85) The invention is concernedwith textile processing agents used in the processing of natural andartificial fibres, filaments and the like, hereinafter included in theterm fibres. The processing agents are particularly applicable toartificial fibres.

There are many different types of fibres, for example, regeneratedcellulose, cellulose acetate, polyamide, polyester, polyolefin, andpolyacrylonitrile including modacrylic fibres, which diifer in the easewith which they may be processed. Thus, each fibre has characteristicfrictional and electrical properties. It is common practice to apply aprocessing agent suited to a particular fibre during its manufacture, inorder to reduce the friction between the fibre and the parts of textilemachines With which it comes into contact, and to minimise the build upof static electricity. It is obviously advantageous if a particularprocessing agent may be employed for the lubrication of a variety oftypes of artificial fibres. The invention provides a processing agentwhich may advantageously be used on a variety of fibres. Furthermore,processing agents according to the invention may have outstandinganti-static properties compared with conventional processing agents.

In its widest aspect a textile processing agent according to theinvention incorporates a potassium'alkyl phosphate. Preferably the alkylradical has, on average, from 6 to 10 carbon atoms. In the preferredform of processing agent, the potassium alkyl phosphate is dispersed inan inert, neutral, non-volatile, organic liquid, for example, a mineraloil or an ester, and the processing agent is preferably renderedhomogeneous with a blending agent. The term processing agent usedthroughout this specification means compositions which are applied tofibres for the purpose of improving the ease with which they may beprocessed. Normally the compositions are liquidsand are preferably sowhen filamentary materials are treated. The compositions may also besolids, for example, waxes which are commonly applied to staple fibreswhere slower speeds are employed. The processing agents may be aqueousor non-aqueous. The non-aqueous form is preferred as this type ofprocessing agent may combine I lubricating properties with anti-staticproperties. The nonaqueous processing agents may be applied as emulsionsin water or in undiluted form. In another form, the processing agentsmay contain both water and a non-aqueous liquid or liquids and berendered homogeneous by suitable compounds.

The potassium alkyl phosphate, should, as stated above, preferablycontain, on average, from 6 to 10 carbon atoms in the alkyl radicalalthough certain amounts of alkyl radicals outside this range may bepresent. The

preferred range of from 6 to 10 carbon atoms is determined by theproperties desired in the product. With less than six carbon atoms inthe alkyl radical the molecules are believed to migrate into the fibresand so decrease the effeclriveness of the processing agent, thelubricity is also decreased. With over ten carbon atoms the antistaticproperties deteriorate and the compatibility with aqueous components ofthe processing agents decreases although lubricity is improved. Forapplications where one particular property is required in the processing agent at the expense of other properties, potassium alkyl phosphatesoutside the preferred range may be quite suitable.

The phosphates may be prepared from mixtures of alcohols or fromsubstantially pure alcohols. For reasons of economy, mixtures ofalcohols are preferred, such, for example, as a mixture of aliphaticalcohols containing predominantly from 7 to 9 carbon atoms per molecule;a suitable product is sold by Imperial Chemical Industries Limited underthe trade name of Alphanol 79. If a substantially pure alcohol is used,we have found that 2 ethyl hexanol, octanol and nonanol aresatisfactory.

The preparation of the potassium alkyl phosphate may be performed, inpreference, by reacting phosphorus pentoxide with the chosen alcohol orblend of alcohols in a solvent medium. Advantageously the solvent may bea component of the processing agent to be made. This, of course, avoidsa purification step by removal of the solvent. Though not essential, itis preferred that the primary reaction between the phosphorus pentoxideand the alcohol should be performed with excess of the former to avoidthe presence of any low molecular weight alcohol after reaction,subsequently the excess phosphorus pentoxide should be reacted with ahigher alcohol (or some other fatty derivative containing a hydroxylgroup, such as a glycerol fatty acid monoester or a glycol fatty etheror ester), an excess of which can be tolerated and may be desirable. Theproduct is an alkyl phosphate ester which may be neutralised with asolution of potassium hydroxide. It is desirable that the potassiumhydroxide solution used should be highly concentrated, having aconcentration of at least 40 percent by weight. However, where theblended processing agent contains an appreciable quantity of water, adilute potassium hydroxide solution may be used to neutralise the alkylphosphate ester. In suitable circumstances, the potassium hydroxide maybe added in solid form. It will be appreciated that the reaction betweenphosphorus pentoxide and an alcohol or alcohols leads to the productionof a mixture containing, largely, monoand dialkyl acid phosphates. Theterm phosphate as used in this specification includes both monoanddialkyl phosphates and mixtures of these compounds.

As stated above, the potassium alkyl phosphate will normally be useddispersed in an inert, substantially neutral, non-volatile, organicliquid (hereinafter referred to as organic liquid) with the productrendered homogeneous with a blending agent. By the term inert as appliedto the organic liquid it is meant that the liquid should not react to anappreciable extent with the potassium alkyl phosphate. The term shouldnot, however, be construed as necessarily extending to other ingredientsof the processing agent which may be added to the organic liquid duringpreparation of the product. By the term non-volatile we mean that theliquid should have a loW vapour pressure at ambient temperatures andshould not boil at a temperature below about C., preferably the liquidboils at a much higher temperature.

Besides acting as a vehicle for the alkyl phosphate salt, the organicliquid usefully increases the anti frictional properties of theprocessing agent. The organic liquid may comprise a mixture ofcompounds, for example, a mineral oil or a single substance, such as amonoester, for example, butyl stearate, which should preferably containmore than 12 carbon atoms per molecule. Alternatively the oil may be amixture of a mineral oil with a monoester. It may be desirable tocompound the organic liquid from a mineral oil with the addition oflubricity additives, such as dioleyl citrate, pentaerythritol di-, tri-,or tetra-oleate, oxidised arachis oil, vegetable oils, for example palmkernel oil, and naturally occurring or syn- 3 thetic glycerides. Thebest lubricity additives are those which are capable of associating withmetals.

As stated above, the processing agents containing liquids may berendered homogeneous by the addition of a blending agent. Obviously thisshould preferably be done without requiring the use of excessive amounts(such as ,over 90 percent by weight in the lubricant) of the blendingagent. It will be appreciated that the potassium alkyl phosphate is anantistatic agent, an agent which increases the conductivity of theprocessing agent and fibres to which it is applied, and the blendingagent is present to enable the phosphate to form a homogeneousdispersion within the organic liquid so that the processing agent may bereadily and uniformly applicable to textile fibres. The best blendedprocessing agents have many desirable properties of which the followingare important; they should reduce friction, they should impart a highelectrical conductivity to fibres, and they should :be easily removablefrom textile materials. Processing agents are, of course, normallyremoved from the fibrous materials to which they are applied beforethematerials are sold. Removal can conveniently be by scouring. Otherdesirable properties are that they should be colourless, non toxic,

stable and cheap and that they should not detrimentally affect thefibres to which they are applied.

We have found that the blending agents described in the specification ofour copending United States patent application No. 399,399 areparticularly useful as the blending agents in the processing agents ofthe present invention. The blending agent of the said copendingapplication comprises a mixture of compounds having the (R O)P=OO(RO)n-H where the groups R are hydrocarbon radicals having, on average,between 6 and 18 carbon atoms, the groups R are and n is an integer ofat least 1. 12 need not of course be the same integer throughout themixture. Preferably the average value of n is between 1 and 2. Suchblending agents may be prepared by reacting an alcohol, having anaverage of between 6 and 18 carbon atoms per molecule of alcohol, withphosphorus pentoxide and reacting the phosphates produced with at leastone mole, per acid group of the phosphates, of an alkylene oxidecontaining from 2 to 4 carbon atoms.

Alternative blending agents are polyethylene glycol derivatives ofalcohols which have between 8 and 18 carbon atoms per molecule ofalcohol. These may be made by reaction between ethylene oxide and analcohol or mixture of alcohols in the proportion of from 2 to moles ofethylene oxide to 1 mole of the alcohols. The alcohols should preferablyhave straight chain molecules and be liquids; they may be saturated orunsaturated. The product, that is the polyethylene glycol derivative ofthe alcohol, is preferably water soluble as blending agents which arewater soluble or nearly so act as emulsifiers. Suitable blending agentsof this type are prepared by reacting oleyl alcohol with 5 moles ofethylene oxide, or lauryl alcohol with 2 moles of ethylene oxide, oralcohols of intermediate chain length with intermediate amounts ofethylene oxide. These ratio of alcohol to ethylene oxide give thepreferred balance of hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties.

The relative proportions of the ingredients of the textile processingagents may be varied widely. In processing agents having the potassiumalkyl phosphate dispersed in an organic liquid with the addition of ablending agent, we prefer that in parts by weight of the formulatedprocessing agent there should be between 5 and 25 parts of the potassiumalkyl phosphate, between 5 and 25 parts of the blending agent andbetween 50 and 90 parts of organic liquid. However, the amount of theorganic liquid used is particularly open to variation and there may beless than 50 parts of the liquid used although this is undesirable foreconomic reasons. The relative proportions of the ingredients will alsovary, of course, with the properties of the specific ingredients in anyparticular mixture. Normally, however, it is expected that the sameorder of weights of potassium alkyl phosphate and blending agent will beemployed in a particular processing agent blend.

It will be appreciated that in the processing agent of the presentinvention, it is the potassium alkyl phosphates which contribute most toincreasing the electrical conductivity. There may, however, be othercompounds added to the processing agent which help to increase theelectrical conductivity or other desirable properties. Alkyl phenols,for example, octyl phenols, may usefully be incorporated in theprocessing agent.

We have found that the viscosity of the processing agents which areliquid having lubricating properties may advantageu-osly be between 70and 300 Redwood seconds (1 mm. capillary diameter).

Processing agents according to the invention are illustrated by thefollowing examples, in which parts and percentages are by weight:

EXAMPLE 1 An alkyl phosphate ester was made from the followingingredients:

The phosphorus pentoxide and the Alphanol were reacted together in thewhite oil and then the oleyl alcohol was added to be sure that there wasno phosphorus pentoxide left unreacted.

30 parts of the alkyl phosphate prepared as above were mixed with 15parts of coconut fatty alcohols di-propylene glycol phosphate (theblending agent) in 10 parts of white mineral oil of 65 seconds Redwoodviscosity at 20 C, 5.6 parts of a 50 percent w./w. aqueous solution ofpotassium hydroxide, and 40 parts of n-butyl stearate. The blendingagent was prepared as described in the specification of our saidcopending United States patent application number 399,399 by reacting 11parts of phosphorus pentoxide and 52 parts of coconut fatty alcoholstogether in 56 parts of the mineral oil and then reacting 90 parts ofthe product with 16 parts of propylene oxide, the excess of which wasremoved by evaporation under nitrogen.

The processing agent had a viscosity of 121 Redwood seconds. On treatinga matt nylon 6 filament yarn, when the agent was applied during spinningin the form of an aqueous emulsion, it was found that the treated fibreshad a conductivity of 700 10- mhos/cm./ 1000 denier. The yarn used (40denier, 10 filaments, 0.3 t.p.i.) had a yarn/metal coefficient offriction of 0.5-0.75 on a Bucket and Pollit testing machine when 1percent w./w. of the processing agent was applied to the yarn-When theabove yarn was heated to C. for 5 minutes there was only very slightdiscolouration.

With cellulose triacetate yarn (200 denier, 38 filament) when theprocessing agent was applied as 100 percent oil during spinning, theconductivity averaged over 850 mhos/cm./ 1000 denier and the frictioncoefiicient was 0.36 when 2 percent of processing agent was applied tothe yarn.

EXAMPLE 2 An alkyl phosphate was prepared in the same manner as inExample 1 with the exception that Empilan KB2 replaced the oleylalcohol. Empilan KB2 is the trade name of a product consisting largelyof lauryl alcohol reacted with 2 moles of ethylene oxide and is sold byMarchan Products Ltd.

The processing agent was blended as follows:

Parts Alkyl phosphate as prepared above 30 Blending agent (oleyldi-propylene glycol phosphate) in White oil 10 Potassium hydroxide (50percent aqueous solution) 5.4 Butyl stearate 40 The blending agent wasprepared in a manner similar to that described in Example 1 by reacting45 parts of commercial grade oleyl alcohol with 7 parts of phosphoruspentoxide in 43 parts of mineral oil and then reacting the phosphateproduced with 15 parts of propylene oxide, the excess of which wasremoved by evaporation under nitrogen.

The processing agent was found to have good selfemulsifying propertiesand was similar in friction-reducing and antistatic properties to theprocessing agent prepared as in Example 1.

10 parts of which were used in the preparation of the blending agent.

As in the previous examples, the processing agent had excellentproperties and was used successfully when spinning a variety of fibres.

EXAMPLE 4 30 parts of the alkyl phosphate ester prepared as described inExample 1 were mixed with 15 parts of an ethoxylated cetyl alcohol (madeby reacting about 3.5 moles of ethylene oxide with 1 mole of alcohols,predominantly cetyl alcohol) about 5.5 parts of a 50 percent aqueoussolution of potassium hydroxide (the pH of the product being adjusted tobetween 7.5 and 8.5), 15 parts of palm kernel oil and 35 parts of butylstearate.

The blended processing agent had a viscosity of 152 Redwood seconds. Itpossessed good emulsification and lubrication properties and gave aconductivity of about 1000 10 mhos/cm./ 1000 denier on application tonylon 6 yarn as a 15 percent aqueous emulsion.

What we claim is:

1. A homogeneous textile processing agent compris ing from 5 to 25percent by weight of a potassium alkyl phosphate in which thealkylradical has, on the average, from 6 to 10 carbon atoms permolecule; from 50 to percent by weight of an organic liquid selectedfrom the group consisting of a mineral oil, a liquid monoester of analkanol and a fatty acid containing at least 12 atoms per molecule, avegetable oil and mixtures of at least two thereof; and from 5 to 25percent by weight of a blending agent selected from the group consistingof (1) a substantially equimolecular mixture of compounds having theformulae:

( (R0)g-P=O O--(R-O)..H wherein the groups R are hydrocarbon radicalshaving, on the average, from 6 to 18 carbon atoms, the groups R are andn is an integer of at least 1; (2), a polyethylene glycol derivative ofreaction between an alcohol having, on the average, from 8 to 18 carbonatoms per molecule and from 2 to 5 moles, per mol of alcohol, ofethylene oxide, and mixtures of (1) and (2).

2. A homogeneous textile processing agent according to claim 1 whereinthe blending agent is the substantially equimolecular mixture ofcompounds and n is between 1 and 2.

3. A homogeneous textile processing agent according to claim 1 whereinthe blending agent contains a polyethylene glycol derivative of reactionbetween ethylene oxide and an alcohol having straight chain molecules.

4. A homogeneous textile processing agent according to claim 3 whereinthe alcohol is oleyl alcohol.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,914,331 6/1933 Nuesslein et a1.2528.8 2,069,303 2/1937 Dreyfus et al 252-86 2,256,112 9/1941 Dickey252-8.8 X 2,676,975 4/1954 Fortress et al. 252-8.6 2,803,565 8/1957Sugar 252-83 X 2,842,462 7/1958 Haas et a1 2528.9X

LEON D. ROSDOL, Primary Examiner. SAMUEL H. BLECH, Examiner. J. T.FEDIGAN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A HOMOGENEOUS TEXTILE PROCESSING AGENT COMPRISING FROM 5 TO 25PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF A POTASSIUM ALKYL PHOSPHATE IN WHICH THE ALKYLRADICAL HAS, ON THE AVERAGE, FROM 6 TO 10 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE;FROM 50 TO 90 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF AN ORGANIC LIQUID SELECTED FROM THEGROUP CONSISTING OF A MINERAL OIL, A LIQUID MONOESTER OF AN ALKANOL ANDA FATTY ACID CONTAINING AT LEAST 12 ATOMS PER MOLECULE, A VEGETABLE OILAND MIXTURE OF AT LEAST TWO THEREOF; AND FROM 5 TO 25 PERCENT BY WEIGHTOF A BLENDING AGENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF (1) ASUBSTANTIALLY EQUIMOLECULAR MIXTURE OF COMPOUNDS HAVING THE FORMULAE: